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Disclosure of Information

Quick Facts

Employers and health plans cannot release information about one parent to the other parent.
Public authority is authorized by law to release some information to a parent's employer.
Employees must make their medical support obligations known to their employers.

If the public authority provides support enforcement services, then the parents must provide the public authority with the following information:

information relating to dependent health care coverage or public coverage available for the benefit of the joint child for whom support is sought, including all information required to be included in a medical support order under this section;
verification that application for court-ordered health care coverage was made within 30 days of the court's order; and
the reason that a joint child is not enrolled in court-ordered health care coverage, if a joint child is not enrolled in coverage or subsequently loses coverage.

By request from the public authority, an employer, union, or plan administrator, including an employer subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), must provide the public authority the following information:

information relating to dependent health care coverage available to a parent for the benefit of the joint child for whom support is sought, including all information required to be included in a medical support order under this section; and
information that will enable the public authority to determine whether a health plan is appropriate for a joint child, including, but not limited to, all available plan options, any geographic service restrictions, and the location of service providers.

The employer, union, or plan administrator must not release information regarding one parent to the other parent. The employer, union, or plan administrator must provide both parents with insurance identification cards and all necessary written information to enable the parents to utilize the insurance benefits for the covered dependent.

The public authority is authorized to release to a parent's employer, union, or health plan information necessary to verify availability of dependent health care coverage, or to establish, modify, or enforce medical support.

An employee must disclose to an employer if medical support is required to be withheld and the employer must begin withholding according to the terms of the order and according to Minnesota law. If an employee discloses an obligation to obtain health care coverage and coverage is available through the employer, the employer must make all application processes known to the individual and enroll the employee and dependent in the plan.